you still get my heart racing
by mellieforyellie
Summary: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015
1. i will never stop

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**rating:** T, may change in the future. sexual references anyhow.  
**notes**: well, i just got a new battery for my computer so i can finally post all of these!  
**pairing**: naruhina. duh.

* * *

day 1:  
_sunshine_

* * *

The sun is warm on her back.

Hinata blinks blearily, cuddling further into her husband and groaning. They hadn't put up the curtains yet, and the bright light so early in the morning was blinding. It was still weird to think that they were married, now, that they had their own house.

They now own a four bedroom house that is a little out of the way of the town, but it's close enough that it wouldn't take more than twenty minutes to walk to the center of town. And besides, they have a gorgeous field of grass and wildflowers and plenty of trees to look at right outside their window. On that thought, she turns over to look outside.

The light of mid-morning makes her squint, but she feels like its a sight she could wake up to. When naruto wraps his arm tighter and her waist and pulls her to him, she definitely thinks she can get used to waking up like this.

"C'mon, lets sleep s'more," he mumbles, nuzzling his face into her hair.

"It's too late," she sighs. "I'm already up. We're gonna have to put those curtains up tonight if I want to sleep past eight."

"Mmmno," he says, flipping over so he lays on top of her. "Now y'can't move."

She laughs and blushes anyway, because although he doesn't seem to care that he's nuzzling her nipple, it's a little sensitive to her.

"Why don't I make us breakfast?" she suggests, gently moving his head to her sternum and playing with the short fuzz at the base of his neck.

Naruto looks up at her blearily blinking his big cerulean eyes. "What's for breakfast, then?"

"Anything."

He makes a very serious expression, for a moment, then gives a grin. "How about cinnamon buns?"

She breaks out into a smile and laughs and kisses him. "That sounds good to me."

He is her personal sunshine, and she wouldn't have him any other way.

* * *

**ending notes**: i'm so excited to actually do naruhina month this year! i'm currently up to date and even though i go back to school on the twelfth i plan to stay updated with this all month.


	2. how long till we call this love?

**summary:** i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes:** canon compliancy is dumb. i make my own timeline.

* * *

day 2:  
_training together_

* * *

Summer in Konoha is hot.

It always is, in the land of fire. It was what they were known for — scorching heat, drenching humidity, and just the idea of walking for five minutes outside was a miserable one.

Yet, Naruto and Hinata stand in a field of grass long dried from a bit of a drought, sparring. Lee had passed by and applauded their youth, before quickly running to his home to exercise in the cool comfort of air conditioning. Sakura had noticed them on her way home from the hospital and yelled at them about how they were going to kill themselves doing that, and if they passed out from dehydration she wasn't going to save them.

They are drenched in sweat, stripped down to their undershirts and shorts, and Hinata's hair is even tied up. But neither of them had particularly noticed. They are focused with a disturbing calm, palms flying and hair whipping. punches and kicks and bruises being exchanged, but they never once pause from their dance, intricate and smooth.

Until she appears from behind with a small, only mildly shocking jyuuken charge to his lower back and he fumbles onto his knees and then she has him by his throat.

"Got you," she says, grinning the widest he had ever seen. Her chest heaves from the effort she had been exerting, and he thinks she looks absolutely beautiful like that. Glistening in sweat in the summer sun, blue sky behind her, ecstatic with victory. Then she laughs and tumbles onto the grass next to him. He grabs her sweaty hand in his own and looks up.

"We need showers," he says, laughing up at the clear blue sky.

"And food," she remarks with a quiet smile, upon the loud noise of his grumbling stomach. "I think I have some bento back at home."

"We both go shower then we can eat at my place?" he suggests.

"That sounds perfect," she tells him with a beautiful smile and a kiss, jumping up.

They had been dating for a little over a year now, and Naruto thought that she was literally the most perfect being on the planet. She was strong, and sweet, and gorgeous, and basically came into his world and turned it all right side up little by little, ever since he had met her all the way back in Academy.

She kisses him and kicks his ass in the same hour, and he likes that.

He dusts the grass off her back and she does the same for him, before they jog their separate ways home.

He hopes this will change soon. He doesn't know if he should ask her to move in or propose first, doesn't know how appropriate either of those would be. He doesn't know whether to ask her father for her hand or not, but he had been talking with Hanabi for a while now, getting advice. Hiashi didn't mind him, especially with how relaxed he had been lately. He thinks her family likes him enough.

But when the right time would be is still a mystery to him. But he would continue to enjoy the path. Especially if it meant the beautiful girl he had fallen so hard for.

* * *

**ending notes:** in my headcanon, they started dating after the war and they get engaged in the last.


	3. it's all in the timing

**summary:** i've spent my whole like trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: all my au headcanons collide. and we all know naruto would be one of those longboard guys.

* * *

day 3:  
_college au_

* * *

"Hey! Hinata!"

He sidles up next to her in line at the north campus starbucks, longboard in hand and cheesy grin plastered on his face. He was tall and gorgeous, all tan skin and spiky blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. He makes her literally embody nervousness because she likes him way too much. Way too much.

"Oh, um, hey, Naruto," she says, trying to be not as weird as she usually is. "How's it going?"

It had started in elementary school. And really, you'd think it'd be done and over with by now — but no. Far from it.

"Pretty good," he says, leaning up on the wall next to each other. "My classes are going pretty well, I guess. Just wish I had something more exciting to do, y'know?"

And really, you'd think he would have forgotten her. That he wouldn't remember her; after all, she was practically invisible throughout the years. The only thing she had ever produced in her miserable years of primary schooling was some work in her high school art shows, but even those were transparent, passed over.

"You could do something athletic?" Hinata suggests, shifting her portfolio between hands. "You always did sports back in high school."

But no. Instead, he waves at her each time they pass and always takes the opportunity to have a conversation with her. He doesn't even know what he does to her!

"Yeah, but that was back in high school," Naruto sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "It was fun then. Everyone is so serious about sports here, y'know?"

He keeps her on her toes, that's for sure.

"What's in the big bag?" he asks, before grinning and poking her side. "Don't tell me you're still using those huge trifold cutouts for presentations."

She laughs, and she thinks she's able to hide her nervous tone. She can't tell if he's just poking at her or genuinely making fun of her. "Of course not!" she says, stumbling over the words a bit. "It's my portfolio. I'm double majoring in art and business, remember?"

"Oh yeah," he recalls, shuffling forward with the slow-moving line. "Why do you still have business as a major though? Everyone knows you don't REALLY wanna take over your dad's company."

Hinata sighs. "I know, but he's paying. So while he's paying, I'm taking the classes he wants me to."

Today, for whatever reason, it's easy to fall into conversation like this. Even though he has made her nervous from the first day she saw him, she can smile and laugh with him like best friends in this line at Starbucks. She is almost disappointed when she finally reaches the register, and orders her coffee. She steps away from line, but Naruto nudges in next to her again after he's ordered.

"So, whats your medium?" he asks, surprising her.

"Well, I paint a lot," she says, smiling. "It's most of what I do, though as an art major I have to be pretty versed in all mediums, at least a little."

"I bet your paintings are really good," he says. "You've always put a lot of detail into everything, so l bet they have a lot of cool little things in them that not a lot of people even notice."

Hinata stares at him in surprise for a good, long moment. A flush crawls up her neck in pure satisfaction and she resists the urge to beam at him. How did he even—?

"I always paid attention to all your pieces at the art gallery back in high school," he continues, shuffling his feet a little upon her wide-eyed look. "I always thought they were the best."

"O-Oh," she answers. "That's…t-thank you. Wow. That means a lot, Naruto."

He grins at her, and their names are called. Before she can even move he grabs both of their coffees for them. She thanks him with a warm smile and a quiet murmur.

"Would you wanna get coffee sometime?" Naruto asks, nervously picking at a straw wrapper.

Suddenly, it all makes sense. His little affections, that she never read off as more than friendly. His eagerness to talk, even though she probably seemed so off-put usually because of her nervousness.

She doesnt know where she gets the confidence for her next line, but it's probably summoned from deep within her reserves and she will never have any more of these coy one-liners for the rest of her life. She smiles almost deviously at him and says, "Well, aren't we already having coffee?"

He blinks at her for a moment before breaking out into a huge grin. "Yeah, I guess we are."

athey sit down and chat in a pair of the plush lounge chairs. They laugh and share each other's coffee, as well as small touches between fingertips. She doesn't even notice the girls pass by the wall-length panel window on the west side of the stores, nor how they smile at each other and decide to get Jamba, instead.

Naruto walks her to her dorm, even though she lives on central campus and he lives on north, and she smiles the whole walk back.

"So," he says, "d'ya think I could see you again sometime? Coffee, art, dinner— whatever you'd like."

Hinnata smiles shyly and nods. "I think we could work something out."

They exchange numbers and more touches and she practically floats down the hallway to her room. She is not surprised to see the girls sprawled out in her room, as they usually were at this time of day.

"So what's with that smile?" Sakura asks, and they all smirk at each other knowingly.

Hinata sighs happily and collapses on her bed. "I just had the best coffee of my life."

* * *

**ending notes:** literally this was my favorite ahhh.


	4. this is not the end of me

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes:** headcanon that hinata has extremely bad social anxiety, and while it gets better the more she knows people, it gets really bad when she's in a crowd.

* * *

day 4:  
_smile_

* * *

Hinata doesn't like to make a big deal out of her birthday. It has never boded well for her. She likes it to pass by quietly, without even a whisper. Her family knows this, her team knows this, and her friends know this.

But Naruto refuses to let this happen.

So she's standing in the doorway of a large party room of Yakiniku Q, with all her friends and her sister and a cake and everyone singing happy birthday. Naruto's hands are warm clasped on her shoulders, and she wants to enjoy this, for him. For his thoughtfulness. But despite how comforting it should be — the party, Naruto, the fact that they all care for her and love her — it is too much.

There is too much room and there are too many people and there is too much noise and he is too warm and it is all way, way too much.

She wrenches herself out of his grasp and runs for the door.

Hinata runs for her safe spot, for training ground 4 beneath the big oak tree. Every splintering breath of icy air she takes refreshes her, every muscle she moves reminds her that she is alone, that she is with only herself and the sky and the earth and the forest. Her heart thunders in her chest as she slides to the frost-bitten dirt, and she doesn't know whether it's from the fear she just experienced or from the run. She doesn't question it much further.

She sees him coming from a ways away. If she really didn't want Naruto to find her, she would have gone home. But she lets him come and sit next to her, and twine his fingers with hers. She even leans into him, inhaling the scent of citrus and what was probably part of the food.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, rubbing his thumb against her palm. "They told me I shouldn't. They told me you weren't ready. But I didn't listen, I wasn't thinking of what you needed. And I'm sorry."

He isn't perfect all the time, she admits. But he knows when he's wrong.

"Apology accepted," she murmurs, kissing him. "Can you get some takeout and maybe we can just have dinner at your place? Just the two of us?"

"Of course," he says, smiling. "Anything for you."

It isn't the biggest grin she's ever seen him give, it doesn't stretch taut across his face or draw attention to his high cheekbones. But it is the most genuine, most loving expression she's ever seen him make. His smile is small and real and it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

"Tell everyone I'm sorry, ok?"

The next year, he cooks a homemade dinner for her of her favorite dishes at his apartment. He also proposes.

Needless to say, she says yes.

* * *

**ending notes**: i love how long these looked on my phone and how short they actually are.


	5. the stars smiled down at me

**summary:** i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: by the way i have an EXTENSIVE NUMBER OF DADDY NARUTO HEADCANONS and everyone will be subject to them over the course of this month.

* * *

day 5:  
_ramen_

* * *

"W-wait. You're—you're sure?"

His voice holds more fear than she's ever heard before. He stares at her, clammy hands clutching hers, eyes wide with hope. Her heart hammers in her chest and she feels tears prickle at the corners of her eyes.

"Yes," Hinata nods, breaking into a smile. "I'm pregnant."

Sakura had confirmed it. When Hinata hadn't been feeling well for the past week, she ventured a visit to the hospital. Sakura had happened to be on duty and wouldn't let Hinata see anyone but her. When she had started the body scan, she burst into the biggest smile and blurted out the good news.

Hinata hadn't fainted in years, but she did that day.

She finds herself in a tight hug, Naruto clutching her and she hugs him back. And it is one of the best feelings she's had, even better than when she married him.

She notices him shake and hold her tighter, and it takes her a moment to pull back. "Honey, are you crying?"

Indeed he is, a bawling and snot-nosed man on their couch, in her arms.

"I'm just - I'm just so happy," he croaks. He is smiling and laughing and crying and he looks a mess. "I love you so much."

She knows that family is everything to him. He doesn't blame his parents anymore, not like he used to. But it doesnt take away the significance, she knows. Hinaya knows that more than anything, he wants to hold his flesh and blood in his arms and watch them grow up and live and love and laugh. She knows that being a father is the best thing that could ever happen for him.

She hadn't thought too much about kids before. Whe knew they were a possibility, somewhere in the near future. They would come when the stars told them to, when they would be best in their life. But the more she thinks about it, the more she can't wait to watch her stomach swell and to hold her sweet precious child in her arms. She can't wait to watch Naruto with _their_ child, their flesh their blood their hair their eyes their nose —

So she starts crying too.

"Why are _you _crying?" he laughs, kissing her forehead and pulling her close.

"Why wouldn't I cry?" she says, curling into her husband. "We're gonna be parents. You and me. I'm happy, too."

They cry and they sit and they smile and they laugh. They talk about the future, and they kiss a lot.

The two of them end up at ichiraku's at ten at night, faces red from tears but stretching from smiles. They laugh and kiss and enjoy their food together beneath the low lights.

"Haven't seen both of you here in a while," Teuchi comments as he collects Naruto's money. "What's the occasion?"

"We're celebrating," Naruto grins, wrapping his arm around a glowing Hinata.

"Celebrating what?" the older man asks.

Naruto's smile stretches across his face and he thinks he's going to explode. The words roll off his tongue with a sweet taste that he's going to get used to.

"Well, we're gonna be having a baby."


	6. to have and to hold

**summary:** i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: this one is pretty short but one of my favorites so far.

* * *

day 6:  
_pregnancy_

* * *

Hinata likes to think she loves Naruto for simply him.

She loves him because he can make his selfishness turn selfless, because he loves with his whole heart and entire being. She loves him because he is honest and noble and tender. She loves him for this and so, so much more.

"Anything else i can do for you, _princess_?" he murmurs low in her ear, his lips sweet on her neck.

Her pregnancy has been the most luxurious affair of her life — her, who has grown up the esteemed hyuuga heiress.

He insists upon waiting on her, even though he is busy with the more political applications of training to be Hokage (and paperwork), of going on missions, of being a ninja. But he cooks her breakfast and dinner, he rubs her feet and her back whenever she even so much breathes as if she is in the slightest bit of pain. He kisses her so tenderly with such love that she could melt.

And when they lay in bed at night, he trails his fingertips along her belly and whispers to their child. He kisses where she tells him the head is and nuzzles along the new, taut, ivory stretch marks.

He treats her like a goddess, and at a different time in her life she might have shied away from this behavior. Felt like she was unfit for it. But she is happier than ever, glowing and radiant and loved and in love. She carries pregnancy much better than most of the other girls, with an ethereal beauty that she's been told is reminiscent of her own mother.

He treats her like a queen, and she has never wanted this before. But right now, she'll let him do it.

"Call me princess again," she says, breathless, kissing him lazily. "Also, I'd like it if we did that again."

She loves him because he is simply him. That's for sure. But she definitely might have married him for just this.

"Of course, princess."


	7. i see the sparks

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**why are naruto and hinata perfect for each other?**: i think that they represent the best kind of match. while they have different personalities, and express themselves in different ways, they have very similar souls. both of them love with all of their heart. i think that despite the pain they've gone through, as shinobi (in the plural sense) and as ninja (in the individual sense), they still have very pure hearts. they both offer trust and show mercy and compassion — but they also care very much about their precious people and will fight to the end for them.

* * *

day 7:  
_wedding planning_

* * *

They didn't want their wedding to be a very extravagant affair.

They want their close family and friends — but with how many friends Naruto had, and all of Hinata's family, it totaled out to quite a few people. But that was okay. It was a joyous occasion, and they were happy to share it. They want a simple entrée meal and a cake that was only big enough to feed a slice for everyone. But her father insisted on a three course meal and a three-tiered marble cake. But that was okay. He insisted— and he was her father, after all, and if he wanted to spoil her on her special day they supposed they would let him. They want the colors to be white and purple with accents of orange — in his tie, in the flowers, in the embroidery details of her kimono. But the girls complained that was far too tacky, because really she would be better off with an accent of dark blue or yellow or —

She never planned her dream wedding as a child. Never imagined the flowers or the table cloth or the cake. It is her wedding with her dream man and that is enough.

But she is also going to plan her wedding, her way.

"You guys," Hinata interrupts, giving them a nervous smile. "I love you both. I do. And I really appreciate your input…but I'm not very concerned as to how the colors coordinate. This wedding was supposed to be simple and intimate and it's fine that it's not, I understand. But these colors really represent Naruto and I, so these are what I want the colors to be. And that's that."

Ino and Sakura share a guilty look, and stuff the color swatches away in their bags.

"Sorry, Hinata," the blonde says. "You're right. We just got carried away — you're the first one to be getting married, and we got a little too excited in the hype of it all."

"It's fine, you guys," she replies, smiling at them and flipping through a flower catalogue. "I love you anyway."

While they felt guilty to have gotten caught fantasizing about their own weddings, the pair is glad to have been told off — if that gentle nudge could even be _considered_ being told off.

The front door opens and closes with soft clicks, and Naruto walks into the living room, tossing keys on their side table and shrugging out of his heavier coat. He greets them with a big smile and reaches over the back of the couch to kiss his fiancée.

"Hey guys! Made any decisions yet?"

Ino and Sakura keep their mouth shut and pointedly look at Hinata.

The bride-to-be smiles and flips back a few pages in her catalogue. "What about these, for the flowers?"

Naruto barely glances at them before smiling and nodding. "Anything you want."

Hinata beams.

Her own wedding has never been important to her before, but she doesn't think it's too late to care just a little.

* * *

**ending notes**: i wrote all of these on my phone and i swear they looked so much longer


	8. so come on and drive me wild

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**rating**: this one ventured a little more into the M region, but not enough to change it from T. so T it remains.  
**notes**: i…had…a really hard time trying to think of something in-universe, so it's a continuation of my day 3 college au-verse.

* * *

day 8:_  
secret lovers_

* * *

He murmurs sweet things in her ear and pokes at her ticklish spot on her side. She giggles and laughs and pulls him to her to kiss him. They spend a few minutes like that, hooked with legs and hands and mouths, whispering between hot breaths and smiles and kisses. Their movie is completely forgotten, in favor of their playful affections.

Her father would never let her see a guy like Naruto, probably. He was far too casual, he didn't want to get involved in the business world, and he was absolutely crazy for her.

But she doesn't care, because all of those things just made her like him even more.

But her father still does, and so does her cousin, who is basically her big brother and would tell her father the moment he knew, if only for "Hinata's sake". So, for now, they've decided to keep this a secret. It's saved for the privacy of their dorm rooms, in the dim glow of the tv, in her fairy lights that trail the wall above her bed, in the fluorescents in the hall outside his room.

"You're really cute," he says, trailing kisses down her jawline. "How did I get so lucky with you again?"

Hinata gives a gentle laugh and beams, angling her neck so he can keep kissing her. One hand runs through his unruly blond hair and the other gives his own hand a gentle squeeze.

"You worked up the courage I never would have had," she replies with a wavering tone. The kisses were venturing from ticklish fun into the more _pleasant_ area, and she was perfectly fine with that. She gives a faint moan and her hands slip down to his shoulders, clutching at his shoulder blades through his shirt.

She's shy and reserved, sure, but she's also in college and she's been fantasizing about getting smiles and kisses and hickies from Uzumaki Naruto since probably the ninth grade. And he doles them out generously, sucking and biting and grabbing at her hips and wow, that does feel great.

"Does that feel okay?" he whispers, husky in her ear.

Hinata nods, half-dazed, and pulls him on top of her and draws him into a kiss again. She thinks that kissing him is a dream — warm and sweet but with just that hint of passion and desire that lets her know it's all real. She starts to shrug out of her sweater — really, when did it get so hot?— before they both jump at three short knocks on the door, scrambling to straighten themselves out as the lock unclicks and Tenten walks through the door.

Their hair is tangled and disheveled, Hinata's neck is covered in hickies, the movies credits have been running for five minutes, her sweater is half off, and the duvet was bunched up completely, almost falling off the bed.

The brunette raises a critical eyebrow at them, shakes her head and slings her backpack next to her desk.

"You guys suck at this 'hiding it' thing."

They look at each other, but they can't hide the twinkle in their eyes and the laughter that bubbles forth.

"We know."

* * *

**ending notes**: once i decided this was gonna be part of my college au it came so easily.


	9. and our love would count for everything

**summary:** i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: "i'm just going to write this tomorrow" and then i got so addicted to my own fantasy world that i couldn't stop.

* * *

**day 9:**  
_lotr au_

* * *

From the moment he first saw her, he was enchanted with her.

Along his journey, Naruto had seen many beautiful women. He had seen the fae, all lithe and fair, but they were harsh and behind their pretty smiles were rows of razor teeth. The mermaids had almost drawn him in once or twice — voluptuous and bare and glittering under the sun, before he had been pulled from the dock's edge by Sasuke and realized the spell he had been under. And he had seen the elves before; always regal, draped in elegant clothes of deep velvets and finely crafted leatherwork and crowns made of antlers dipped in silver.

The elvish, he thought, were a pretentious race. They stuck their noses in the air, looking down at dwarves and humans and basically everyone besides their own kind, with their long necks and smooth, immortal faces that never age. Naruto generally hated the elvish, just on principle.

But Hyuuga Hinata was an entirely different case.

He was required to visit the stronghold of the Hyuuga clan to negotiate how many archers the head, Hiashi, would be willing to lend the village of Konoha for their latest plan to search for the headquarters of a dangerous mercenary group. His eyes passed over, bored, over the clan head and his chosen warriors, all perfect and porcelain.

And then his blue eyes pass over _her_.

She stands the same as her brethren, feet shoulder width apart, bow and quiver strung across her back, hands clasped behind her. But she does not hold herself with arrogance, as her kinsmen do — it is with pride and confidence that can only come from experience. But she is also beauty incarnate, with soft eyes and a determined smile and long black hair as pure as silk.

He does not even know her name, but this is when it first starts.

* * *

Him and his party are escorting the Hyuuga back to Konoha, where all the allies in this search will be briefed and provided aid and sustenance before their long journey. While the other Hyuuga's make their own camp separate from him, Hinata wanders to their fire and nods at the space on the log next to him.

"May I sit?" she asks. She hadn't spoken before, but her voice is soft and dainty — not at all what he would expect from the daughter of a man like Hiashi.

"Uh, yeah," the blond answers, stumbling over his words. Sasuke and Sakura snicker at him from across the campfire and he shoots them a glare. "Of course, go ahead."

She takes a seat and serves herself a bowl of the wild game soup that Sakura had prepared, thanking them for sharing with her. While the eyes of her clansmen were often cold and gray, hers are warm and light. She curls into herself while she eats, making herself appear as small as possible.

"I'm sorry about my brethren," she says, after a few spoonfuls. "I attempted to convince them to join me, but…they are quite fixed in their ways."

Sakura snorts. "You can say that again."

Sasuke elbows her. Even if she was a dwarf, and he hadn't had a clan for a long time, he was still elvish, too. "If I can't talk bad about the dwarves, you can't say anything about the elves."

She rolls her jade eyes, but keeps quiet anyway.

But Hinata takes it in stride, with a elegant smile and a nod of her head. "It's very hard to stray from our traditions once we have them, but I believe all of us — not just the elvish — are making strides to break out of these detrimental habits."

They spend the rest of dinner discussing racial politics across the Five Lands, and she takes the criticism and questions from them all in stride. As the next-in-line to one of the Great Elvish clans, she was going to hold a lot of power within the land, and she seems to know what she was going to do with it.

That is the second moment.

* * *

Their party runs into a pack of wild elk beasts in the middle of the dense forest between the Vimur river and the Great Mountain, two almost impossibly maneuverable locations. While the elk were normally docile, harmless creatures, and even one of the ancestral Elvish creatures, elk in these parts had adapted to the harsh environment and developed a more violent nature. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke are already planning how to maneuver past them, and the Hyuuga clansmen have the arrows at the ready in case they decided to charge.

One clumsy apprentice accidentally lets his arrow fly, angering the entire herd.

"Shit," Naruto says, scrambling to figure out a plan to get them out of the eight foot tall rampage headed their way.

The Hyuuga's have their bows nocked and are already verbally preparing their flurry of arrows, before the heiress narrows her eyes and stands before them.

"Do _not_ fire!" she commands with a strong tone that shocks Naruto.

She steps to meet the herd head on, and he's about to go grab her and tell the rest of them to scatter, what is she doing, she's going to kill herself—

Hinata places a hand in front of her, and as the beasts near they slow to a gentle walk, the injured animal of the pack coming to meet her. His white coat shines in the light as he nuzzles against her hand, and allows her to walk around to heal him. Carefully, she removes the offending arrow, and offers water from her own skin to clean the wound. It is her salve that coats the wound and her hands that soothe it.

"You're okay," she coos, hands gentle and soft. "We're not here to hurt you."

She shares a gentle smile with the animal before turning to her clansmen with a piercing stare.

"Who do you think you are?" she asks, her soft voice turning hard and angry. "These animals are part of the forest. Whose domain is the forest?"

Silence.

"_Whose domain is the forest_?"

"Ours," her brethren mumble, ashamed.

"That is correct," she says, her voice hard as she speaks to her clan, but her eyes soft when she turns to the elk beside her. "And we do not hurt those in our domain, because we are responsible for them. We will help them, and as we do, they help us."

This is how, single-handedly, with a gentle smile and a stern voice of reason and compassion, Hinata has the wild elk help them not only across the Vimur river, but up and through the Great Mountain.

This is the final strike.

* * *

"So," Naruto questions her, at the celebratory feast upon their party's arrival in Konoha. "What's it like being heiress? I'm sure you have so many responsibilities. Being a role model for your brethren — great job back in the Great Wood, by the way — and being engaged and all that."

_Smooth, Naruto_.

She gives him a quiet chuckle. "Oh, I'm not engaged."

A blonde eyebrow raises. "Really? Most girls like you are married off pretty quickly to whichever rich suitor her father fancies most. At least, that's how it is with humans."

Hinata smiles a pretty pink and her lavender eyes glint as she locks gazes with him. "Well, I'm not most girls, and I'm definitely not a human. My father…has allowed me to choose my own destiny. At least in love."

He fumbles for something to say for a minute, something charming, something smooth —

"Well, you could find out if your destiny happens to include me."

_I blew it. Holy shit._

She laughs, with her heart and has to set her goblet down as he nervously takes a swig of his wine — _I'm going to need it_, he thinks. When she's recovered from her laughing fit, she gives him a shy smile and he notices a blush curling up her neck. Woah, what?

"I think," she says, pausing for a long moment, as if she is deliberating, "we could definitely try to see what the stars hold for us."

He blinks at her, astonished.

She motions to the orchestra at the west side of the Great Hall. "Would you care to dance?"

"Um, yeah! Yes, of course, let's go."

Her hands are soft in his and her smile is three times as beautiful when he can look at it up close.

She is absolutely intoxicating.

* * *

**ending notes:** i love confident hinata who is still shy but knows what she wants, damnit.


	10. you should be alone with me

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. naruhina month 2015  
**rating**: nothing even happens, really, but changing it to M just in case.  
**notes**: i head back to uni today. if i fall behind on this, feel free to harass me.

* * *

day 10:  
_dating_

* * *

Their relationship is not one of extravagant gestures.

They tend to eat at home, with one of them cooking, though a lot of times it was Hinata teaching Naruto how to cook. When they did go out, it was to Ichiraku or only somewhere for a special celebration. They stay in, and they prefer it that way.

In fact, even in public they were not overly affectionate, as most of the couples in their age group were. They were often seen together, usually holding hands or with linked arms. But never were they caught in a compromising position, or gone out to some event looking obviously…previously occupied.

And this is the way they prefer it.

They already have everyone sticking their nose into their business, where they don't think it belongs. Nobody needs to know how many hickies she has, or how good he is at going down on her — that is private. Just because _they_ have no qualms about sharing every aspect of their relationship, doesn't mean Naruto and Hinata do. Their relationship is just that: theirs.

Hinata groans a little bit as she turns over, away from the intruding light of the window. They had forgotten to pull the curtain before bed again, damn it. She tries to wiggle further into her boyfriend's warmth, close her eyes and sleep again. But she's awake, unfortunately.

She looks up at Naruto with a smile. His sleeping face was the picture of innocence, despite that everybody thought he slept like a slob. When he was with her, his sleeping face was so beautiful and the only way he moved in the night was to curl his arm tighter around her. She reaches up to kiss at his jaw, slow and sweet.

He stirs after a few minutes, before smiling to himself and trailing his hand to rest at her bare hip.

"Mornin', princess." His voice is groggy and he's obviously still a bit drowsy, but he leans down to kiss her anyway. Their kisses are lazy like the morning, but before they know it, they're tossing around on the bed, tangling the sheets and their legs together.

She doesn't know what exactly is so sexy about him in the morning, but she knows that it just _is_. His hair is tossed every which way, the way the morning sun shines on his golden skin is just perfect, and she can't tell whether his eyes are hooded from sleep or desire. But it makes her moan a little louder, run her nails down his back a little harder.

And as sexy as he is, hovering over her, words whispering sweet and heady in her ear, she think she'll do the work today.

Hinata turns them over and kisses him, hard and commanding. His hand is on the back of her neck anyhow, pushing all of her hair over one shoulder, so he can have free reign to her chest without worrying about pulling any hairs. She grinds down, grinning at his sudden groan, at his sudden realization at just _how_ needy he is.

"I'm in charge today," she murmurs, trailing a finger from his jaw to the tip of his chin.

"Hey! Get up, we have mi—"

The door bursts open and his teammates can only stand there, shell-shocked. Hinata shrieks and pulls the sheet over her as much as she can, all tangled up at the end of the bed. Her face is red hot and oh my _god_ she could just die here right now. Naruto at least has the grace to throw pillow at them, before Sakura's bright red face stammers out an apology and shuts the door.

They look at each other and groan.

"I can't believe that just happened," she says, burying her red face in her hands. She would never be able to face either of them again — and Sakura would tell the girls for sure! She was going to be a hermit for the rest of her life, yup.

"I can't believe my two teammates, who are dating, just cockblocked me with a mission."

Hinata shoots him a look. "They walked in on us about to…about to do the thing, and you're upset because we didn't…?"

Naruto shoots her a puppy dog look with sparkling blue eyes. "You're just so beautiful, I can't help myself."

"You're such a kiss up!" She playfully rolls her eyes and kissing him again anyway, before getting up to put on some clothes. "But I love you anyway."


	11. you watch me stumble

**summary:** i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**rating**: T  
**notes**: sorry i'm late to the party (well, just later than i usually am). moved in me and my roommate and moved a friend down the hall and i was super tired last night. but they're probably all gonna be like that now because school.

* * *

day 11:  
_kiss_

* * *

Her breathing is hitched and uncomfortable, unfortunately loud through her mouth. The front door shuts behind her with a quiet click, and she's trying her hardest to be silent. But every step echoes throughout the house, and her breathing is loud and she knows he's going to come to meet her.

Hinata just wanted to get into the bathroom so she could take a shower and cry in peace.

But of course, the moment her hand touches the doorknob, Naruto's warm arms wrap around her and he kisses her shoulder. It is this moment that she has to sniffle, so her nose isn't running, and he stiffens and whirls her around to look at her.

She's teary-eyed, her cheeks and nose red with frustration. Caught, she averts her eyes to the floor and sniffles louder, rubbing at her nose.

"What's wrong?" he asks, brushing her hair away from her face, his eyes full of concern even though she refused to meet them. "What happened?"

"N-Nothing!"

Fuck. She stuttered. She hasn't stuttered in a good year and a half in normal conversation — only when she was frustrated or about to cry or extremely uncomfortable.

"Babe," he says, pulling her to him. "What's wrong?"

She can't hold back the tears now, and she just cries into his neck for a good five minutes. It wasn't like she was upset, really — she was just frustrated. She had been at the Hyuuga compound demonstrating and training the younger Hyuuga children, and her father had continued to critique her. Not only did it chip away at her confidence in the training session, she lost the faith of the students to be seen so harshly judged by the Hyuuga head. Her father hadn't reprimanded her on her technique since she was Chuunin, and it brought her back far too vividly to her darker Genin days.

And she knows it's not because he was testing her abilities, or because he doubted her, but because he was harsh on everyone. He wanted to show that he was fair, and the treatment was equal. But it didn't frustrate her any less or make her feel any better.

She finally calms down enough to tell her husband, nose runny and face red and swollen.

He kisses all over her red cheeks and the tip of her nose and each of her eyelids and kisses her every so gently on her lips. She can't help but smile into it, pulling him by his neck into a deeper kiss.

"I love you," she murmurs.

She felt a lot better, suddenly.


	12. oh, darling don't you ever grow up

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: it's the first day and school is kicking my ass again. that Asian history class wAS A MISTAKE.

* * *

day 12:  
_meet the grandparents_

* * *

The birth of Hinata's children is one of the most important events in Hiashi's life, along with when Hanabi would have her own.

Boruto had been a happiness for him — the firstborn, a son. He smiled upon his grandson with warm eyes and a wrinkling face, and she saw love in them. But her baby boy looked like Naruto, with sparkling cerulean eyes and a blond tuft upon his head. Hinata knew that her father was waiting for the Hyuuga baby.

He is invited into her room after Himawari's birth, and Hinata holds her daughter out to him warily. She will always love her child, and she knows her father will, but a small part of her still doesn't want to disappoint him. She smiles, exhausted after hours of labor, and hands her daughter into her father's awaiting arms.

Hiashi sits down in the armchair next to her, and his face is bright with a smile. Himawari has her mother's dark hair, her button nose and her long lashes. He rocks and coos a her, just like he did with Boruto.

Her baby stirs and opens her eyes at him — they are a bright teal, like the summer sky misted with clouds. She is absolutely beautiful.

But she does not have the Hyuuga eyes.

Hinata grips Naruto's hand right and wait's for her father's disappointment, that she has not given the clan a new heir, that she has not continued the bloodline.

But all he does is soften into the chair and smile.

"She looks just like you as a baby," he says, quiet. "Your nose did that wrinkle, too. And you had this same adorable little smile when you looked up at me."

She sighs and relaxes into the bed, ready to fall asleep with her husband and her babies in the comfort of her own home.

While he may have needed some work as a father, Hinata thinks that he is an excellent grandfather.


	13. this night is sparkling

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina 2015  
**notes**: again i'm sorry this is late. so it's short to help catch me up.

* * *

day 13:  
_festival_

* * *

He finds her scooping for goldfish, leaned back on her heels in her summer yukata. She looks over and sees him just after she catches one, and her smile is bright as the fish almost fumbled out of her net. Her eyes sparkle as bright as the shimmering sunflowers on her yukata.

"Hi," she greets shyly, reaching on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere." _As long as it's with you_.

She wraps her arm around his and pulls him through the festival, though the teppanyaki booths and the games. They sit at the ramen stand even though she's not hungry, and she leans her head on his shoulder.

"Where do you wanna watch the fireworks?"

He swallows and grns and her. "I know the best view in town."

They sit on top of the Hokage monument and watch the fireworks together. She kisses him and glances up at him with shy eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," he murmurs back.

And they are happy.


	14. i'll be your light, your sun

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: this isn't particularly canon, this is a headcanon. WHICH WORKS with todays question because this is my favorite naruhina headcanon. …aaaaand this is now phenomenally late.

* * *

**day 14:**  
_proposal_

* * *

Hinata is mildly confused at the events of the day.

Today is her two year anniversary with Naruto, so she expected to spend the day with him, just cuddling and kissing and — well, whatever else may come of the day.

But this is not the case.

She started off the day being whisked out of her warm bed (that also included Naruto!) by the girls, dressed in a confused, sleepy state and pulled away from her boyfriend for the day. They went shopping, foremost. They bought cute clothes and ridiculous heels that she really had no reason to buy, but did anyway, and some new lingerie that she would most definitely wear for her boyfriend tonight. Then, they visited a spa, with all the works — manicures, massages, hot spring, face wraps, whatever they pleased.

"So, why is this happening?" Hinata questions, looking across at them as they soak in the hot springs, their final stop on their spontaneous self-pampering day.

Sakura shrugs. "We all needed it."

"I agree with that, but why did it have to happen _today_?"

"What do you mean?" Ino asks, tying her thick hair up into a knot at the top of her head.

Hinata doesn't want to come off as ungrateful, really, nor does she want this day to suddenly end. But, really, they need to know. "Well, today happens to be an important anniversary…"

They all stare at her before their eyes widen and embarrassment flashes across their faces.

"Today is your anniversary with Naruto?" Tenten says, splashing water at her. "Why didn't you tell us when we dragged you out of bed?"

"I didn't know what was going on! I didn't want to ruin our day out either when I realized we would be out all day…"

They talk for a little while longer before they shoo her home. The girls watch her walk away and turn to each other as she rounds a corner.

Tenten turns to Sakura. "So, you think we gave him enough time?"

She waves at the brunette. "Oh, he had plenty of time."

* * *

When Hinata bounds up to the door of their apartment she is almost bouncing with excitement — she really shouldn't, she thinks, because this is just like every other day. But there's a special thing today, and she hasn't gotten to see the only other person involved in this special thing! She can't stop smiling as she turns the key in the lock and steps in.

The first thing she sees is their dining table covered in a deep red cloth, which she recognizes from a table she's had dinner at many nights. There are candles everywhere and it smells wonderful, between the warm scent of cinnamon cooking and the lit orange blossom candles. He comes up to her, wearing an apron — hers, with frills and flowers and really, it's quite a sight — and gives her a deep kiss.

"What's all this?" she asks with a smile, her eyes scanning over the spectacle before her.

"Well, I wanted to do something for our anniversary. Something special." He's blushing, and she thinks it's the cutest thing on earth.

"It looks very special," she murmurs, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. "Let's eat."

She knows that Kurenai must have come over and helped him — these are her recipes, her little touches of spices and vegetables that she has eaten for years. But she definitely did not have a large hand in making them, other than possibly preparation and supervision. It is not her specific flavor of love, not that warm, motherly taste that she knows by heart. He has cooked this meal all his own, full of dripping, buttery warmth that can only be from Naruto's own hands.

"It was delicious," Hinata says, setting down her fork neatly on her plate. "I'll clean up, since you made all of this."

"No, I'm gonna clean up," he says, taking their dishes to the sink. "This was my little gift to you. I don't want you to clean up my big mess."

"But it's _our_ anniversary," she tries, picking up a rag. "I should do my part. I don't want you to do all the work."

They argue for a bit more, before Naruto sets down his rag and softly takes her out of her hands. "How about we deal with that in the morning? I have something more important for us to do."

Hinata instantly thinks that she's glad she decided to change into that new lingerie set when she had left the hot springs.

"Oh?" she says, pulling at his shirt. "And what might that be?"

She is expecting a kiss, a hand up her shirt, a low, sultry murmur. She is expecting _sex_, she is expecting tearing off each others clothes and just celebrating that they love. What she is _not_ expecting is for him to drop to a knee and pull out a box from his pocket.

"Hinata," he says carefully, blue eyes scanning her reaction.

"Y…Yes?" she chokes out.

Her chest is so tight she could break open right now, and she can't breathe, as if she had just gotten a hard kick to the chest. Her hands shake, and the one that is held in his is sweating. She knows he's probably terrified, and her reaction isn't helping, but she can't believe this is happening. To her, with him, for _them_ —

"I love you probably more than anything in the world," he says. "I love you more than I love the village, I love you more than I love my teammates, I love you more than life itself. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. I wanna have a family with you. I wanna do special stuff for you like this all the time, and I wanna wake up to our kids probably kicking us in our sleep. Will you marry me?"

She can't even say anything, she just drops to her knees and hugs him, crying. She crying and smiling and she kisses him.

"O-Of course, yes! Yes! Oh my god, yes!"

The ring is beautiful and simple, just like her — a thin silver band with a pretty diamond on top, and she couldn't ask for anything more. She kisses him hard, and his arms wrap around her and neither of them can stop smiling, and it makes for an awkward kiss but they don't care.

"Now, I have a present for you," she murmurs, standing up and pulling him along with her.

"And what is that?" he grins.

Hinata pulls off her shirt and leads him into the bedroom.

* * *

**ending notes**: ah, yes, glorious engagement sex. a must.


	15. i was enchanted to meet you

**summary**: i've spent my whole life trying to put it into words. — naruhina month 2015  
**notes**: i don't even know what this is i just started writing. congratulations you now see the same material my creative writing professor basically receives with all of my submissions. (crying noises)

* * *

day 15:  
_final fantasy/kingdom hearts au_

* * *

They meet the heiress on a rocky cliff that overlooks the shoreline. The waves crash loudly against the rocks relentlessly, tumbling and pulling back over and over again. They approach her as she is staring out at the ocean, her legs drawn into her chest and she is completely unaware. She jumps when Sakura taps on her on the shoulder, and then proceeds to apologize profusely for her inattentiveness.

Naruto thinks she's beautiful, and not what he expected, sure, but she's just another damsel to save and he is just so _tired_ of that. She has a bow and quiver strapped to her back, but he doubts she can do much with that.

After introducing herself, Hinata guides them through the forest with a deftness that can only be had by a local. She has grown all her life in this forest, and it is only natural she knows exactly what they are looking for. Her hands catch on sharp thorns common in the harsh forest, but she isn't flinching at all. Her palms are covered in scars and calluses and he thinks that's actually pretty interesting.

"How come you don't avoid the thorns," he asks. "Or cut the branches in your way?"

Hinata smiles. "This is a natural place. It is not my right to cut this forest, it is not our way here. These cuts are the price we pay for entering somewhere where we are not welcome."

"Why are we not welcome in the forest?" Sakura asks, narrowing her eyes and glancing around. She's itching for a fight, Naruto can see it in the way her fingers twitch toward her scabbard.

"Humans have a tendency to destroy everything they touch," Hinata says, turning to them for just a moment with a harsh glint in her eyes. "You should know this well, after all. You are hunters."

They had been to many lands, and they had seen a lot of the destruction humankind causes. This was true. They had seen charred woodlands and burning villages and entire plains taken out to build a towering city of hustle and bustle. They had caused some of this, too. They remain silent.

Hinata stops, and slowly pulls her bow to taut, arrow nocked tight. He can see her arm shaking with effort, and he wonder what in Shiva's name she's aiming for —

She lets her arrow loose and there are the dying sounds of a bird, horrible squawking and croaking, feeble and whiny. They go to collect their meal, which is pinned to a trunk about thirty meters away. Upon it's discovery, they see that it is not one, but two birds pinned beneath the arrow, piercing perfectly through the flesh of their necks.

"Holy shit," Sasuke murmurs.

Naruto doesn't think she's a damsel in distress anymore. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, didn't you know? I do freelance treasure hunting work with a team of mine. I'm only home for a vacation. You didn't think I was incapable, did you?"

_Well, this could work out well._


End file.
